Toy, kindergarten appliance, and the like.



T. MATHEWS.

TOY, KINDERGARTEN APPLIANCE, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. ms.

1 ,27 3 ,643. Patented July 23, 1918.

2 SHEl ITS-SHEET 1.

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T. MATHEWS.

TOY, KINDERGARTEN APPLIANCE, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7.1918.

Patented July 23, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THOMAS MATHEWS, 0F LEICESTER, ENGLAND.

TOY, KINDERGARTEN APPLIANCE, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 7, 1918.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnonas luATHEWS, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Leicester, in the county of Leicester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Toys, Kindergarten Appliances, and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to toys, kindergarten appliances and the like and concerns those of the kind made of cardboard or similarmaterial and constructed to fold or collapse to a substantially flat or compact condition when not in use.

The invention consists of a toy, kindergarten or like device comprising a collapsible show structure such for example asa stage, platform, circus ring or the like, having a suitable background member, one or more characters or figures preferably having loosely jointed limbs, a wire or holder to which said characters or figures are adapted to attach, and a slot or opening in the background member of the structure shaped and disposed to admit of passage and movement of the wire or holder therein whereby the character or figure carried by the wire may be caused to make entrance upon and exit from the stage, platform or the like and be manipulated and caused to dance or move thereupon.

In further describing the invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which there is shown, by way of example, a concrete form of the invention consisting of a theater toy.

In the drawing referred to Figure 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible stage structure open or erected for use.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rear part of the stage.

Fig. 4 is a back view of one of the characters employed in conjunction with the stage.

Fig. 5 shows, in perspective,the wire or holder for supporting and manipulating the characters.

Figs. 4 and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1 to 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing the collapsible structure (Fig. 1) which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Serial No. 220,985.

1s got up to represent a theater stage, comprises an upright front or proscenium memher 1 (Figs. 1 and 2) having a suitably shaped opening 2 therein, a stage or platform member 3 horizontally hingedlv attached to the back of the proscenium inember 1 at 4, side wing members 5 vertically hinged at 6 (Fig. 2) to the back of the menibcr 1, and a back member 7 attached by intermediate side parts 8 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) to the free ends of the side wing members 5, said side parts being connected hingedlv at 9 and 10 to the backand side wing members respectively. 1

The stage member 3 has angular sides 11 (Figs. 1 and 2) adapted when the stage is pushed downward from an upright position to the horizontal position shown, to

make contact with and press the side wing members 5 rearward and determine their position relatively to the front 1. The rear edge 12 ot' the stage member 3 also presses rearward the back member 7 while to hold the stage in the horizontal position, lips or projections 13 on the sides 11 of same enter slots 14 in the side wing members 5.

The device is reduced to a collapsed and flat condition by first disengaging the lips 13 from the slots 14 by pressing rearward the sides 5 and then raising the stage member 3 to a vertical position behind the proscenium opening 2 after which the back member 7 is pressed forward close against the back of the raised stage member during which movement the side wing members 5 and intermediate parts 8 fold inward as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

An opening 15 (Figs. 2 and 3) is formed in one of the parts 8 to admit of the entrance and exit of the characters to and from position on the stage 3 and for the purpose of providing for the passage of the wire or holder which supports the characters, the back member 7 has formed in it a T slot 16, 17 (Figs. 1 and 3). The horizontal portion 16 of the slot extends for a certain distance into the back and at a suitable height to permit the figure or character to be brought in through the aforesaid opening 15, and the vertically disposed portion 17 permits the figure to be moved up and down as for example to represent dancing movements on the stage 3.

While a slot of more or less T shape as shown is found convenient for permitting the desired movements of the wireor holder for the purposes mentioned, it may be otherwise shaped if desired.

The front 1 is conveniently made flat, and the face of same and also the side wing members 5 and back 7 may be appropriately got up and decorated such as by printing. The whole structure is conveniently made of cardboard.

The characters or figures may be cut out of cardboard and preferably have loosely jointed limbs. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4, the character may comprises a piece 18 representing the head and arms, a body piece 19 jointed to the head piece at 20, and separate legs 21 jointed to the piece 19 at 22. Such character or figure is supported by the head piece 18 conveniently by means of the form of wire or holder 23 shown in Fig. 5 which is held horizontally in use and has an upwardly bent front en 24 adapted to fit upward into a socket 25 (Fig. 4) or equivalent on the back of the figure. The opposite end of the wire 23 (Fig. 5) is bent to form a handle 26 and when the figure is placed in position on the vertical end 24 the wire 23 extends horizontally and directly rearward from the figure and is consequently obscured by the figure when the latter occupies the stage thus enhancing the life-like efiect when by manipulation of said wire or holder in the slot 16, 17 movements are imparted to the figure.

The jointing of the limbs or parts of the figures or character may be carried out in any suitable manner to give very free movement.

What I claim then is 1. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure consisting of a stage and aslotted background member, a figure, and a holder to which said figure is adapted to attach, the slot in the background member being shaped and disposed to admit of the passage and movement of the holder therein whereby the figure carried by said holder may be caused to make entrance upon and exit from the stage and be manipulated and caused to dance or move thereupon, substantially as described.

2. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure consisting of a stage and a slotted background member, a figure provided with loosely jointed limbs, and a holder to which said figure is adapted to attach, the slot in the background member being shaped and disposed to admit of the passage and movement of the holder thereln whereby the figure carried by said holder may be caused to make entrance upon and exit from the stage and be manipulated and caused to dance or move thereupon, substantially as described.

3. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure, a figure for use therewith, and a holder for said figure, said collapsible show structure consisting of a proscenium or front member, a stage member hingcdly combined therewith and a slotted back member hingedly connected with said proscenium member the said stage and back members folding fiat up to the proscenium member when the structure is collapsed, and the back member being opened to position for use by the stage member when this is pushed down to a horizontal position to erect the structure substantially as described.

4. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure, a figure for use therewith, and a holder for said figure, said collapsible show structure consisting of a proscenium or front member, a stage mem ber hingedly combine therewith, and a slotted back member hingedly connected with said proscenium member, the said stage and back members folding fiat up to the proscenium member when the structure is collapsed and the back member being opened to position for use by the stage member when this is pushed down to a horizontal position to erect the structure, said structure having an opening between the back member and the proscenium member through which the entrance and exit of the figure 95 to and from the stage may be effected, and the slot in the back member being shaped and disposed to admit of thepassage and movement of the holder therein for the manipulation of the figure, substantially as de- 100 scribed.

5. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure, a figure for use therewith, and a holder for said figure, said collapsible show structure consisting of a 105 proscenium or front member, a stage member horizontally hingedly combined therewith, side members vertically hinged to said proscenium member, a slotted back member, and intermediate side parts hingedly con- 110 necting the back member with the free ends of the side members, said stage member, side members, side parts and back member folding fiat against each other and up to the proscenium member when the. structure is collapsed, and the back and side members being opened to position by the stage member when this is pushed down to a horizontal position to erect the structure, substantially as described.

6. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure, a figure for use therewith, and a holder for said figure, said collapsible show structure consisting of a proscenium or front member, a stage member horizontally ,hingedly combined therewith, side members vertically hinged to said proscenium member, a slotted back member hingedly connected with the side members, and projections on the sides of the stage member adapted to engage with slots in the side members, said sta e, side and back members folding flat against each other and up to the proscenium member when the structure is collapsed, and the back and side members being opened to position by the stage member when this is pushed down to a horizontal position to erect the structure, substantially as described.

7. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure, a figure for use therewith, and a holder for said figure, said collapsible show structure consisting of a proscenium or front member, a slotted foldable back hingedly connected with the pro- Seeniulu member and a stage member hingedly combined with the proscenium member, said stage and back folding flat against each other and up to the proscenium member when the structure is collapsed and the back being opened to position by the stage member when this is pushed down to erect the structure, said stage member having a shaped edge adapted by contact with the foldable back to define the shape of the lat ter when the structure is erected, substantially as described.

8. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure consisting of a stage and a slotted background, a figure, and a holder to which said figure is adapted to attach whereby it may be manipulated on the stage through the slot in the background, the said holder having a vertical front end upon which the figure is adapted to fit in such a manner that the holder extends horizontally and directly rearward from the figure so as to be obscured by the latter when in use, substantially as described.

9. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure, consisting of a stage and a slotted background, a figure,

and a holder to which said figure is adapted to attach whereby it may be manipulated on the stage through the slot in the background, the said figure having on the back thereof a socket, and the holder having an upturned front end adapted to fit into said socket in such a manner that said holder extends horizontally and directly rearward from the figure, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. A toy comprising, in combination, a collapsible show structure, consisting of a stage and a slotted lmckground, a figure consisting of a plurality of parts loosely jointed together, a socket on one of said parts, a holder, and an upturned end on said holder adapted to fit into said socket whereby the figure may be supported by the holder and manipulated on the stage through the slot in the background, substantially as described.

11. A toy comprising, in combination, a cardboard show structure consisting of a front, stage and slotted back member hingedly combined whereby they may be collapsed to a flat condition and also be opened to an erected position, a series of cut out figures each having loosely jointed parts and provided at the back with a socket, and a \V'llO holder formed with an upturned part at one end adapted to fit the socket of and carry the individual figures and with a handle at the opposite end by which the holder may be manipulated through the slot in the background to move said figures on the stage, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I at'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS MATHEWS. Witnesses E. N. LEWIS, GEORGE Lns'rna. 

